About the Book

This is the story of an audacious airborne assault on 4 May 1978, on a heavily fortified SWAPO base containing its military headquarters, logistical support, reserves and training facilities.

The assault was supported by a very strong air strike by bombers and fighters, as well as by air transport to drop the paratroopers into one of the biggest airborne operations since World War II.

Was it a refugee camp, as claimed by the third world and the Communist Block, a SWAPO HQ and strategic military establishment as claimed by the RSA Government and SADF, or a mixture of both, as claimed by the truth and reconciliation commission?

This is the only personal account ever written, by somebody who was there and was, in fact, the commanding officer of the paratroopers. This work is more than one man's view - it sheds light on all the controversial aspects, especially the dangerous nature of the whole enterprise. It does this with personal experiences by paratroopers and air crews and explains how and why it nearly became the most disastrous undertaking of the whole "bush war" era, through the uncalled for meddling by an outsider who should not have been there.